Orifice fitting



@ct. 24, 1933. w HOWARD 11,931,797

ORIFICE FITTING Filed March 14, 1930 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2 FIIGI (5/05 ELEVA r/o/v) (mas ELEVATION) WAYNE A. HOWARD (moss SECTION 5-5) A TOR V Oct. 24, 1933.

(LONG/TUD/NAL SECTION) w. A. HOWARD 1,931,797

ORIFICE FITTING Filed March 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

FIG. 4

WAYNE A. HOWARD FIG. 6 NVENTOQ (moss safer/mu c-c) 7U fl Aka Ad W A T ORNEV Patented Oct. 24 1933 {UNITED fsrATEs PATsNr: or ies j 1,931,797, ORIFYIGEQ FITTING Wayne A. Howard, South Gate, Calif. Application Maren 14, 1930. Serial No. 435,822 5 Claims. '(01. 137 75) My invention'pertains to the art of measur ing the rate. of flow of fluids through a calibrated orifice pressure diiferential between the orifice.

The primary object of my invention by passing them and reading the v the two sides of Corollary objects of my invention are:

provide a fitting of smaller dimensions and less weight than similar fittings now in use; a fit reliable.

' and the manipulation of which is simple and Other objects and advantages ofmy invention will appear from an inspection of the attached drawings and the following description thereof, in which: I

Fig. 1 is an end face elevation embodying my invention;

Fig-.2 is 'a left; side elevation of the Fig. 3 is, 'a longitudinal. verticalf; section of the fitting; V

Fig. 4 is-a cross section of line'A-A of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross section of line BB of Fig. 3, and

fitting;

the fitting on; the.

the fitting on the.

Fig; 6 is a cross'section of the fitting on the line C-C of Fig. 3.

Referring first to Figs. 1 consists generally of a 'body orifice plate seats when in operating position i and which has provision vfor and 10, in which the withdrawing the the plate has passed; a bonnet ,ll'in which the plate is retained during the process of removal,

and in which contained mechanism 'for closing the plate opening, and a cap containing means for drawing plate assembly 12 the plateinto the bonnet andwby removing which the plate maybe completely withdrawn without either removing.-

usual manner.

The lower half or the bodyLis' semicircular inoutline, as'best indicated at 15.

in1; Eig. 6, While the upper half is squared up as l6, faced on its upper surface as at 17 and- I 7 provided with side fiangesas ment of the bonnet. The left end of the valve (in the position is to 5rd shown in Figs. 3 and its raised faces are in 2, the valve at- 18 for attachknob in fixed position and turning the hand shown. in Fig. 3) is bored. out tothe desired pipe size as indicatedat 19 in the same figure.- The right end is bored to a somewhat'larger diameter and provided with a liner 20which is firmly driven or pressed into a slightly larger ring 21 having the same internaldiameter. The object in using the separable ring 21 is to permit a larger rotating ring tobe assembled through the opening left on removal of the bonnet,-as will be later described. Once assembled the liner 20 and the ring 21 function as an integral liner; The same object may be attained by making, liner 20 and ring 2linone piece having the outer diameter of ring 21. V

The central portion of the valve isformed in a rectangular section 22 having an interior slot formed by the opposition of face 55;and the'end 27. of ring 21. The interior of the bonnet regis-' ters with and is in effect an upward continuation This slot receives-the raised'and faced edges 24 of the orifice plate 25, in the center of whichis formed the orifice 26. This slot beingcarried around the-interior of the bore, When the plate is in the operative position nonleaking contact with one wall of the 'circumferential slot and Withthe inner end .27 of the ring 21. The fluid .passing through the fitting is thus forced to travel through the orifice and cannot pass over-the edge of the plate.

The right side 28 of the bonnet, shown in si'de elevation in Fig. 2 and in crosssectiontin Fig. .4. is merely'a continuation of the slot in which the orifice plate rests, and forms a rela: tively wide and thin chamber. ofsufficient height 1 to receive the entire orifice plate; The bonnet is preferably bolted to the body of the valve, having flanges-29 for this purpose, and the upper end is flanged as at 30 for attachment of the cap plate 31. V

To the top of the orifice plate is firmly but removably attaoheda pull rod 32 for raising and lowering the plate. This rod terminatesflin a knob 33 which is threaded outside as at 34.v Therod passes through a stuffing box 35 l0- cated in the center of the cap'plate, and which should be filled with soft packing On the threaded portion of the knob or on the upper portion of the rod itself is placed a hand wheel 36 having on its lower side a projecting fiange 37 surrounding'the stufiing box gland and of suffi cient height to allow adjustment of the gland, The lower edge of this flange bearsrotatably on the top of the cap plate, and by holding the wheel left hand considerable lifting force may be exerted on the orifice plate to dislodge it from its seat in case it should be frozen thereto. A simple lifting movement of the knob will then raise the plate to a position entirely Within the bonnet and free from the body of the valve. The knob and hand wheel indicated may be replaced by similar metallic members adapted to be actuated by wrenches.

The bottom of this portion of the valve body may desirably be formed into a flaring channel or pocket, indicated at 38 in Figs. 3 and lodged from the plate or seat in removing the plate. This dirt may be removed by withdrawing the screw plugs 39, as the pocket is sealed off from the valve channel when the plate is in operating position in the slot.

In the metal of thevalve body are formed.

two small threaded openings 40 surrounded by bosses 41, for the attachment of manometer or differential gauge connections These openings arev preferably so located that the center of each is say 1" from. the center of the orifice plate in a longitudinal direction.

therein. The outer end of the long screw should be squared for a wrench as at 48 or otherwise provided with means for revolving it.

On the long screw is mounted a travelling nut 49 which is prevented from revolving by contact with the side Walls of the chamber and which therefore travels from' end to end of the chamber as the screw is appropriately revolved. In the lower portion of this nut is formed a slot 50 parallel to the axis of the body and preferably tapering inwardly at the bottom as indi cated in Fig. 5. I

Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, the fixed ring 21 is surrounded by a slip ring 51 which should be carefully'fitted so that it may easily be revolved on the fixed ring without material leakage between the two. This ring is provided with a rigid stud '52. adapted to fit into the slot 50 in the travelling nut 49. By this arrangement I the ring 51 is caused to revolve for any desired 5 distance by rotating the long screw 45.

The ring 51 is provided with slots 53, these slots having parallel sides and being of such width as to fit the heads of 'studs54 which are firmly set in the fixed ring 21, or which may be fixed in the body if preferred. -Thes'e slots, as indicated at 53 in Fig. 3, are eccentric to a plane at right angles to the axis of the body, this eccentricity being such that when the ring 51 is so revolved as tobring the studs 54 from one end of the slot to the other the ring 51 will be moved to the left a distance at least equal to the thickness of the orifice plate. I

It will be seen that when the plate is in operating position the ring 51 must be turned to the position shown, "in which it is fully retracted and its inner end is flush with or back of the end 27 of ring 21. On the complete withdrawal of the plate into the bonnet, as above described, the ringmay be revolved and thereby moved to the left until its end contacts with the oppoexcept over its top.

site face 55 formed in the valve body, thus forming an unimpeded channel for fluids through the body, which channel is sealed away from the bonnet. By removing the cap plate 31 the orifice plate may now be withdrawn from the bonnet and removed from the pull rod 32, and an unworn plate or one having a more suitable opening may be substituted and replaced in proper position on the knob and position marked. If the plate should from this position by reason of vibration or other disturb ing factor, the fact will be immediately evident as the flange 37 will then be clear of the cap plate instead of in contact with it.

(2) For any given pipe diameter this fitting is exceptionally small, particularly as to overall height, andbecause of its simplicity is relatively cheap and easy to build.

(3) Plates may be changed without stopping the how through the pipe and without any danger whatever of leakage of inflammable liquids or gases while the change is being made.

(4) Plate changes and any desired repairs to the bonnet may be made without removing the fitting from the line.

(5) Any preferredtype and shape of orifice ('7) As it is never necessaryqtc unscrew the pull rod from the plate while "the latter is within the valve there is no-dan'ger of plates being lost in the fitting, which in othert'types often requires the entire removal of the fitting from the line. I 1 I (8) As no operating part of the fitting is below the top'of the pipe the-fitting may be back filled along with the line and need not be housed (9) The fitting is gas tight as there are no unpacked adjusting rods or screws projecting through the case. 7 V (10) The orifice plate seat is automatically wiped clean every time a plate is-"withdrat'l n,

thus permitting the ready and nonleairing insertion of the substitute plate. I I I I 1 (11) In case a'future requirement for;anorisuperstructure to" beadd'ed at any'la't'er time without removalof-the fitting from-the line. V

I I claim as my invention: I I I I 1." An orifice plate fitting comprising: a body adapted to the flow of a fluid therethrough; means within said body for retaining an orifice plate in position across the line of said flow; a

single orifice plate in said means; a bonnet attached to said body and adapted to receive said orifice plate when said plate is withdrawn from said body through a slot formed in said body; means within said body for closing said slot, thereby sealing said bonnet away from said body while permitting uninterrupted fiow of fluid through the entire diameter of said body; means for loosening said orifice plate from its seat within the said body; means for drawing said plate from said body into said bonnet, said means being also capable of indicating the proper seating of the orifice plate, means for withdrawing said plate from said bonnet while said bonnet is sealed away from said body and means connected with the orifice plate whereby the orifice plate seat is wiped clean every time said plate is withdrawn into the bonnet; all parts for operating the fitting being above the top of the pipe upon which it is to be used.

, 2. An orifice plate fitting substantially as described in claim 1; said bonnet being so formed as to be readily detachable from said body and so positioned, when tightly attached to said body, to cooperate with the orifice plate 'withdrawal means to indicate the proper or improper seating of the said orifice plate in the body of said fitting.

3. An orifice plate fitting which comprises: a body, twoopposing fixed seats in said body', said seats being adapted to nonleakably retain an orifice plate and one of said seats being in the with the opposite of said seats when said plate is withdrawn from between said seats, and

means for positively actuating 'saidslip ring into contact with said opposite seat, last said means comprising; eccentric circumferential slots formed in said ring, said slots engaging fixed studs; a projection from one side of said slip ring, and means cooperating with said projection for rotating said ring and thereby causing it to move longitudinally over said projecting ring by reason of the eccentricity of said slots.

5. An orifice plate fitting comprising: means for drawing an orifice plate from the body of saidfitting into the bonnet thereof, said means comprising: a rod attached to said plate; a'capplate covering the upper end of said bonnet; a stuffing-box formed in said plate and surrounding said rod; a handhold at the upper end of said rod above said cap-plate; an inverted cup surrounding said stufiing box and having its lower edge bearing on said cap-plate, said cup having screw threads cooperating with screw threads on said rod, and means for revolving said cup and for preventing said rod from revolving, thereby forcibly lifting said orifice plate from its seat.

WAYNE A. HOWARD. 

